Slain former Simeon football player remembered as role model

Those in Harvey on Saturday honoring slain former Simeon Career Academy football player Demarius Reed at a service said they wanted to focus on his life — not the violent way it ended.

The 20-year-old starting wide receiver at Eastern Michigan University was found Oct. 18 shot to death in the apartment building where he lived near the college in Ypsilanti, Mich.

Reed's mother, Tanesha Reed, said she had planned to watch her son play that afternoon at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.

"Instead, we're doing this," she said.

At the football game, NIU players wore stickers with Reed's number in his honor, and the crowd in Huskie Stadium observed a moment of silence.

Police said earlier this week they are looking for anyone who attended a party in that building in the early morning hours before Reed was found by his roommate. Police declined comment Saturday but have said Reed was shot twice and was missing personal items, suggesting a robbery.

During Saturday's funeral service at Holy Temple Evangelistic Church of God in Christ, hundreds packed the large church. Many spoke, praising Reed — known as "D. Reed" — as a hard-working football player and student from the South Side who loved his family, friends and God.

In addition to family, friends and others from the community, mourners included EMU administrators, current and former Simeon students, as well as Reed's former teachers. Football players from Reed's youth league in Harvey attended the service in uniform.

Mourners sang, read their Bibles and comforted one another, at one point holding up their hands making the No. 2 — Reed's jersey number. Many wore football jerseys or shirts with photos of Reed on the football field. Some donned blue and white ribbons with Reed's number printed on them.

"I admonish you to not talk about loss," said Douglas Moye Sr., the church's host pastor. "When you dwell on loss, it's magnified."

One by one, those who knew Reed or his parents got up to address the crowd, reciting poems, singing songs or describing Reed as a talented athlete and role model.

His former coaches have said Reed would talk to young football players about staying away from gangs.

Simeon Principal Sheldon House said he spoke to Reed three weeks ago.

"There is nothing we can say to relieve your pain," he said to Reed's family. "D. Reed did it all. He lived his best life. D. Reed's soul is playing the eternal game of football."

Little was said to address the nature of Reed's death, instead focusing on his accomplishments. In a nod to Chicago's ongoing struggle with gun violence, church member Wanda Jenkins challenged the crowd to "wake up."

"Our kids are dying every day on the streets like dogs," she said.

While Ypsilanti police have asked partygoers to come forward, they have said they aren't sure if Reed was in attendance that night.

The party began around 2 a.m. in a ground-floor apartment in a complex on Green Road. Reed lived on the third floor of that building and was found around 7:15 a.m.

Ypsilanti police have asked anyone with information to call 734-368-8780 or 734-368-8776. A $5,000 reward is being offered for information that helps to solve the crime, according to a message sent out by University President Susan Martin.